Stinker Stores, a 105-store chain based in Boise, Idaho, received second place in its debut year in the Mystery Shop audit, conducted by CSP and data analytics firm Intouch Insight, Ottawa, Ontario.
“The only way you get better is to play with the best,” said Nate Brazier (pictured below), CEO of Stinker Stores. “This Mystery Shop is a great way to do exactly that.”
Stinker received the best score in the Mystery Shop section of the audit, worth 40% of the overall score, with 96.3%, compared to an average of 94% of all 10 chains. Its best scores came from having a well-maintained exterior, clean and clutter-free inside, well-stocked merchandise and clean restrooms.
However, Nouria and Tri Star surged ahead of Stinker in the revealed audit, worth 60% of the overall score. Stinker received 96.1% in the revealed audit compared to an average of 95.3% and Nouria’s top revealed audit score of 98.6%. This combination of scores left Stinker in second place overall.
Stinker Stores has a people-first focus, said Brazier. Earning a score of 99% in the employee section of the revealed audit came from having “some of the best people out there in the stores,” he said.
“We want people who are positive, upbeat and want to treat others with respect,” Brazier said.
Loyalty Launch
Stinker stores scored 83.8% in the loyalty program category of the revealed audit, but it launched a second iteration of its program in early September after the audits. The new program offers fuel discounts plus 10 points per dollar spent in-store and at the pump.
“Instead of steering them toward CPG [consumer-packaged goods] items, for example, that they might not want, we're going to give them the freedom and the flexibility, meet them where they're at and allow them to gain more value by becoming a more loyal Stinker shopper,” said Billy Colemire, vice president of marketing and brand.
Stinker tied with Rutter’s, the 2023 Mystery Shop winner, for second place in the restroom portion of the revealed audit, at 99%, after Nouria. Stinker Stores is proud of its clean restrooms, and it even displayed a billboard highlighting a five-star customer review, stating, “Would poop here again!”
We were “leaning into the moxie and wit that goes back to when the company was founded in 1936,” said Colemire. “We're a little playful with the way that we advertise that, and it was very successful.”
Stinker rolled out another billboard featuring its skunk mascot, Polecat Pete, in Oregon across the border from Idaho. Oregon traditionally has higher fuel taxes compared to Idaho, said Colemire. The billboard’s tagline reads, “Why did the fuel pump cross the border? For cheaper fuel prices.”
Stinker’s goals include continuing to build its brand, foodservice program and people.
“We've done some tremendous work over the last four years as far as updating and bringing the Stinker brand and Polecat Pete into the current times,” said Jeff Pidlypchak, vice president of operations. “We're going to continue on this explosive and quick journey with private label but make sure we source high quality products so we can demonstrate the value to the customer and build that brand equity as well.”
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